near to Stockport, Great Britain

St Peter's Square

The western side of St Peter's square looking towards Duke Street. The square underwent a transformation in 2007/8 in a scheme designed to "deliver an ideal venue for proposed outdoor events and create the perfect backdrop for facilities such as cafés, restaurants and pubs, open in the daytime, evening and night. St. Peter's Square is to become a vibrant, safe and sociable meeting place for the people of Stockport" (quoting a council web-page that is now defunct).

On the left hand side is the former Prudential Assurance building which was designed by Paul Waterhouse in 1915 and finally opened in 1922. It is of stone, with a grand elevation to St Peter's Square which has a pair of projecting entrance bays each with arched entrances with keystones. Above giant attached columns frame upper windows, and support an entablature and balustraded parapets. These are separated by a two-window bay with a subsidiary entrance, and flanked by bays with two sets of paired windows, upper floors, framed by giant pilasters. The frieze has triglyphs and paterae. There is good elevation to Duke Street in similar style.